Community & Business
19 December, 2025
Christmas hampers delivered to local families
Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, joined representatives from Southlake's Incorporated to help hand out Christmas hampers
Southlake's Incorporated is based in Cooranbong and was founded due to the Sole Parents Pension age requirements, which dropped from 16 to eight-years-old.
Southerlake's CEO, Christine Mastello, reached out to Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, and he joined the team in Gilgandra on December 17, 2025 to hand out the hampers.
Around 40-50 people were collecting hampers this year.
The Southlake area had a high percentage of single parents, and we knew this age change would severely affect our local kids.
They support organisations in Lake Macquarie, Central Coast, Port Macquarie, Forster, Coffs Harbour, Nowra, Wollongong, Bega, Gilgandra, Coonamble, Taree, and Broken Hill.
Every month, the team does a 1000km round-trip to deliver hampers in Dunedoo, Mendooran, Gilgandra, Gulargambone and Merriwa. Locals from Coonamble drive down from Gulargambone to also purchase hampers.
At Christmas, they provide toys for 200 children and hampers for 100 families and seniors.
"Groups like Southlake's Inc. quietly beaver away and provide amazing services to people in regional communities. They don't do it for glory, notoriety or thanks; they truly are unsung heroes," said Roy Butler MP.
